Monkeypox Outbreak: World Health Organization declares global emergency

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency due to the mpox virus, also known as monkeypox, which has been spreading across Africa.

The outbreak, which began in the Democratic Republic of Congo and quickly spread to neighboring countries, has already claimed the lives of at least 524 people.

The current outbreak is particularly concerning because it is linked to a new variant of the virus, which experts warn is the most dangerous variant they have seen to date. There are significant concerns about the rapid spread and high mortality rate associated with this variant.

A global public health emergency is the highest level of alert under the International Health Regulations, which are legally binding for 196 countries.